The International Business Times is exclusively reporting that Apple is close to signing what could be a significant deal with HBO.

HBO could make Apple TV a launch partner next month when its eagerly anticipated new streaming service launches.

HBO and streaming partner Major League Baseball Advanced Media are working to have the standalone service, called “HBO Now,” ready to launch in April in conjunction with the premiere of the fifth season of “Game of Thrones.”

Sources with knowledge of the ongoing talks say that HBO Now is going to be a game changer for the premium cable network as the streaming service will be able to consumers without cable television. An HBO Now subscription will run $15 per month.

"HBO’s corporate parent, Time Warner Inc., will rely on a whole new line of distributors (e.g., Apple TV, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, etc.) to help market HBO Now to an estimated 10 million U.S. broadband subscribers who do not pay for a cable TV bundle," the IBT reports.

We're told that a deal with Apple could possibly be announced at any time.

Considering that sling.com offers several channels in their package at a price point of $20 per month and sling lets you add packages of channels for an additional $5 per month, $15 for just HBO is way too high.